What Happens After 8PM
by If You Say So.x
Summary: It's time for the group's annual drink-fest, and a certain pinkette's love life comes into question. "I think she'd go well with Shino." "I'm backing Kankuro on this one." "I still think it could work out between her and Neji." "I hate all of you." Slight AU. SakuMulti, with various other pairings. One-shot.


A/N This is my way of announcing that I'm coming off hiatus…

_Oh, _right, yeah, I was on hiatus. You probably figured that out. Sorry.

What Happens After 8PM

_It's time for the group's annual drink-fest, and a certain pinkette's love life comes into question. "I think she'd go well with Shino." "I'm backing Kankuro on this one." "I still think it could work out between her and Neji." "I hate all of you." Slight AU. SakuMulti, with various other pairings. One-shot. _

"I th-think Sakura-san and Shino-kun w-would get along well together…"

"Well, when it comes to Sakura, I have to back Kankuro. Or Gaara, at least. Siblings stick together and all that."

"Lee and I think it could still work out between her and Neji. He just needs a little… push, is all."

"You're all wrong. Sakura and Shika are _definitely_ perfect for each other, end of story."

"I hate all of you."

The four girls sat snugly in the corner of Konoha's busiest (and only) bar looked up to see a rather angry looking pink-haired kunoichi, who just so happened to be their focus of attention.

"Oh, hey Sak! About time you showed up." Tenten called out over the rabble of drunken voices. The brunette squished up on the ominously sticky leather bench, making enough room for her younger friend to squeeze in.

"We were just talking about you, Forehead." Ino said with a smirk.

"I heard, _pig_." Sakura bit back, angry frown lines marring her features. "Speaking of that, could you keep it down a little? I don't want someone to overhear and, y'know, get the wrong idea."

"S-sorry, Sakura-san, we didn't mean anything b-by it." Hinata stammered quietly, a delicate blush gracing her cheeks in embarrassment as she fiddled with the end of her bendy straw. Sakura sighed, Hinata's shy demeanour always managed to calm her agitated nerves.

"It's nothing Hinata, really." She said, reassuring her fidgety friend.

A cough caught Sakura's attention. "So, pinky, are you just gonna ignore me, or..?" said a rather snarky, yet familiar voice. Sakura looked to Tenten's right, only to catch a glimpse of four spiky ponytails.

"Temari! You travelled over from Suna?"

"Of course!" exclaimed the feisty blonde Sand-nin, "As if I'd miss this! Me and the boys have made it every other year, y'know. They're probably off with the blonde knucklehead as we speak."

"Right, right." Sakura nodded, looking around the people in the over-crowded bar for said red-head and brunet. She hadn't seen the Sand Siblings since last year's meet up, and really wanted to say hello. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several Suna-nin (most likely bodyguards) confirming that the young Kazekage was probably present.

So, what were all of Konoha's rookies (and company) doing in this backwater bar you may wonder?

Well, after the war had finished (resulting in Konoha/Suna's victory over Akatsuki and their evil schemes), the group had bonded closer than ever. And, to celebrate their victory (and collective survival), it was decided that the only thing to do was to go and get a bit shit-faced. Unfortunately, all of their usual, good hangout spots had been destroyed in the chaos, and this seedy little bar was all that was available.

Even now, three years after the war, the group still made the effort to meet up once a year.

Ino slammed her half-finished sake bottle down on the sticky wooden table. Judging by the red tint on her cheeks and nose, she'd already had a few too many drinks. Sakura felt a little sorry for Chouji – he'd have to deal with her tonight, and a drunk Ino was a difficult Ino. "Anyway, Forehead, back to our conversation. When are you gonna pack it up and settle down? You're the only girl here still single, y'know!" Sakura's blonde best friend yelled a bit too loudly.

Sakura's cheeks flared. Ino was right about one thing. During the past three years, her four female friends had all succeeded in their love lives.

Hinata and Naruto had finally gotten together after some less-than-subtle nudges from everyone else. Despite some resistance on the Hyuuga Clan's part, they were currently married, and expecting their first child a few months from now. Her protruding belly and healthy glow gave away all the signs of a happy mother-to-be.

Chouji had finally worked up the courage to ask out Ino, and after a few rocky weeks of 'will it work or won't it' they announced their relationship to Konoha.

As for Tenten, she had nabbed Lee about a year ago. Not even Neji was sure how it happened, but Sakura was glad that Lee had finally moved on. Plus, Tenten deserved to happy after her feelings for Neji had gone ignored for years.

And finally, Temari was having a long-term on-off fling with a med-nin back in Suna, as Sakura only just found out recently from Ino (who heard from Shikamaru, who was informed by Kankuro, who heard about it from a traumatised Gaara, who had unfortunately walked in on his sister and her 'companion' in a compromising – and scarring – position).

Although, actually, Ino wasn't completely correct. But they didn't need to know about that yet.

"Soooooooo?" Ino slurred, leaning across the table to flick her friend's nose, effectively breaking Sakura from her thoughts.

"So what?" Sakura grumbled, batting Ino's prettily manicured hand away.

"When are you gonna bag yourself a husband? You have a good job, and you're easy on the eyes. In a short enough skirt, you could get a guy easily!"

Tenten threw an arm around Sakura's shoulders, which were beginning to tremble slightly in anger. "You're a woman Sak, you have _needs_. If you don't want a serious relationship, take a leaf outta Kiba's book and get a," she waggled her eyebrows, "_beneficial friendship_ instead."

Sakura spluttered, and was sure her cheeks were tomato red by now. "Tenten, all of you, quit it! You're embarrassing me!"

"Oh?" came a mellow voice from over her shoulder. Oh, _perfect._ Oh course _he_ had to show up now. "What's embarrassing?"

Ino smirked. "Sakura's love life."

"I see." Kakashi said with a patented eye crease to show his amusement. Sakura grumbled something crude under her breath before flipping her best friend and her former teacher the bird.

"It's n-nice to see you, Kakashi-senpai." Hinata stammered.

"A please to see you too, Hinata-chan, Ino-chan, the rest." He said suavely, coupled with a lazy wave.

"If you finally graced us with your presence, I'm guessing everyone's here now." Sakura said, trying to draw attention further away from herself.

"I should imagine so. Can I get you a drink, Sakura?"

"It's okay, I'll come to the bar too if you're going." She said tiredly, pushing up from the table.

The other four girls watched their friend intently as she walked off, talking animatedly with her white-haired friend, Kakashi's hand resting on her lower back.

"Now, I don't know them as well as you three," Temari said in a low voice, "but those two look a _little_ closer than friends, if you catch my drift."

"Nah," Ino hiccupped, "those two just know each other really well. Nothing would ever develop between them, trust me." She said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Oh!" Tenten said suddenly, a glint of mischief creeping into her eyes and an impish smile crossing her lips. "Why don't we ask the guys?"

"Ask them what?" Hinata asked quietly, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Who they think would be _good_ for Sak. Hell, one might take the hint and ask her out."

"Umm," Hinata's blushed deepened, "I d-don't think s-she'd be too happy about th-that…"

"NONSENSE." Ino shouted, slapping her palm down onto the table, in a manner Tsunade would be proud of. She stood up, wobbling slightly, and looked around until she spotted her targets. "GUYSSSS. COM'ERE." She yelled, frantically waving her arms about to catch their attention, before stumbling and falling back into Temari's lap. Ino giggled, wrapped her arms around her uncomfortable friend's neck, and wriggled until she felt more comfy.

Kiba wolf-whistled. "Well, well, well. Hey Cho, your missus is lezzing it up over here!" He called out, chuckling whilst edging a table up to join the small booth. The other guys each grabbed a chair and sat down, most laughing along.

"Bite me, Inuzuka." Ino grumbled, gnashing her teeth.

"So what's got your thong in a twist?" Kiba asked, straddling his chair.

Ino cleared her throat. "Gentlemen! I have gathered you here to discuss something…" she paused, taking another large swig of her drink, "of GREAT IMPORTANCE!"

"You're pregnant?" Sai asked, causing the others to laugh and Chouji to blush slightly.

"Would I be this drunk if I was?" Ino explained, surprisingly reasonable even when completely off her face. "No this is important to Sakura." She said, drawing out each syllable of her name and catching Naruto's attention in the process.

"What about Sakura?" he asked seriously, ever protective of his best friend.

"Well," Ino said, getting irritated, "if people would stop interrupting... the girls and I would like your opinion on something." She cleared her throat, and announced grandly, "Who should Sakura be with?!"

There was a moment of stunned silence before Naruto, surprisingly, started to laugh. "Well, isn't it obvious? She should be with us, like always. Believe it!" he said with a cheesy grin and a trade-mark thumbs up.

There was a collective sigh of irritation, except from Hinata, who merely smiled fondly at her husband's stupidity.

"Not like that, dickless." Sai said bluntly. "Even I know she meant in a romantic way."

"Oh," muttered Naruto, an embarrassed blush spreading briefly across his cheeks. "Well, in that case, it should be Kaka-sensei, right?"

"Don't be stupid. Sak wouldn't go for some old pervert like _Kakashi_. No, she's a mature intellectual." Ino said, nodding her head knowingly. "Just like Shi-"

"So, don't you think Neji would suit her best?" exclaimed Tenten, cutting in on her friend from her corner of the group.

"I must agree!" came Lee's joyful reply. "As a former admirer, only I can approve of Sakura's next love interest. And Neji is a worthy man indeed!"

"Can you shut up?" muttered Neji. "I'm sitting right here you know." Although he sounded annoyed, the tiniest bit of pink dusted on the shinobi's cheeks.

"Someone's _embarrassed_." Teased Kiba, nudging the Hyuuga prodigy in the ribs.

"Well, what about you?" said Neji in an annoyed voice.

"Me and Sakura?" said Kiba thoughtfully, a Cheshire grin spreading across his features. The dog-nin let out a short yip of laughter. "I ain't got a problem with _that_!"

"Oh, hell no!" yelled Naruto. "I wouldn't let a playboy like you near Sakura-chan even if it killed me!"

Kiba tutted. "Che. You're not her dad, y'know. Fine, if I'm not 'worthy', then who is?"

Naruto paused for a minute, pouting slightly in thought. You could practically hear the gears turning. His face scrunched up and turned an alarming shade of purple, and just when everyone thought the blond idiot was about to pass out, he triumphantly slammed his fist into his palm.

"Gaara!"

The sound of drink being spluttered, followed by choking, came from said (now furiously blushing) red head. After a minute of back slapping and laughter from his less-than-helpful brother, the Kazekage took a deep breath, and ground out a definite "No."

Kankuro snorted in his seat next to his flustered younger brother. "As if Gaara would get the guts to ask a girl out."

Temari laughed loudly. "Says the guy who's been practically pining for a certain pink-haired medic ever since she saved his ass from dying way back when."

"Shut up…" the puppet master mumbled, his now cherry red cheeks clashing with his purple face paint.

"I found the pictures of her you've kep-"

"SHUT UP TEM."

After about ten minutes of more discussion and laughter, Sai went and lowered the mood with three simple words:

"What about Sasuke?"

The group quietened down, a communal sense of discomfort hanging in the air. Naruto and Sakura's former teammate hadn't made an appearance since his brother was killed. Most believed he probably went and got himself killed somehow – even Sakura had her doubts. Even so, Naruto hadn't quite given up hope that his best friend would return one day.

"Well, bit quite for a party." Kakashi said flatly, breaking the tension.

The group looked up to see the older man, and the green-eyed girl they'd been discussing standing behind the ever-quiet Shino, and Kiba, who went to speak next:

"Never mind that. Hey pink," he said with a wolfish grin, "fancy getting dinner sometime?"

"I said NO!" Naruto shouted.

"Yeah, shut it Kiba! Forehead should go out with Shika!" Ino giggled, pointing at the now-embarrassed strategist.

"What are you guys talking about?" Kakashi asked, edging away slightly from Sakura. A deadly aura was emanating from the petite girl.

Sai, as usual, didn't quite pick up on Sakura's mood.

"We were discussing who would make a good sexual partner for Ugly." He said frankly.

And, bang. Sai's forehead slammed into the table, creating a noticeable crack, as Sakura grimed menacingly.

"Ouch. That hurt, Hag."

"It was _meant _to."

"Partner, huh? Is that so…" Kakashi said thoughtfully, looking rather smug, whilst reaching an arm around the kunoichi's shoulders. "Well that's a bit pointless, considering I don't plan on _sharing_."

His chest started to swell with pride as jaws hit the floor and he received some very pissed, very _jealous_ looks. Sakura blushed under the scrutiny, muttering a weak 'shut up' and slapping away Kakashi's arm. He, in response, merely smiled and shrugged, reassuring her that 'they would have found out eventually'.

Everyone was quiet, until finally Temari spoke up.

"I _told_ you they looked too close. Eat it, Blondie."

"_Oh, shut up, Temari."_

_Total word count: 2,223_

_Targeted word count: 2,000_

Annnnnnnnnnnnnd SCENE.

Actually kinda proud of this considering it's my first Naruto fic. Has this been done already? I apologise if it has (it probably has, but I'm not gonna sit and search through over 300k fanfics, y'know?). I'm sorry if it has.

The reason I dubbed this Slight AU is because I haven't _finished_ Shippuden yet, so I have _no _idea how the plot goes. Anyway, if this gets enough positive feedback, I may consider making it a full length fic.

Ciao.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, there would be white-haired, green-eyed babies running around all over the place by now.


End file.
